The division offers free transportation to students who live within the county and outside of walking zones. In order for a student to be assigned a bus route and bus stop, families must have a completed transportation request form on file for each student in the family in need of transportation to or from school. The transportation form is available in Rycor.
Bus Schedules and Stops
The York County School Division uses a software system to manage school bus transportation. The system is designed to improve bus routing efficiencies and bus tracking while a bus is on its assigned route.
Approximately one week before the first day of school, bus stops and bus stop times for the upcoming school year can be found at yorkcountyschools.org/BusRoutes. Instructions to search the E-Link Bus Routes site are provided on the page. Computer labs will also be available at all schools during Open House and New Student Orientation for families and students to access the information. Please note: stop times are estimates for all regular full school days; actual arrival times are determined by school departure time, travel distance, traffic, route design and student needs.
In addition to bus route and bus stop times, the software features the "My Stop" application which enables notifications as well as tracking services for school bus riders. Transportation department staff also send notifications through the division’s mass communications platform when a bus route encounters an issue or extended delay (typically beyond ten minutes).
Bus Routes and My Stop can be accessed through the school division and all school websites as well as the YCSD app.
NOTE: Runs are continually updated through the first month of school.
Bus Stops
Students should arrive at the bus stop no more than 15 minutes and no less than 10 minutes prior to the time for them to be picked up. All stop times are approximate and based on distance between stops. Actual times can vary based on conditions that include traffic, the number of students loading or unloading at any given stop as well as new stops being added/removed due to student enrollment changes; therefore, students should remain at the bus stop for at least 15 minutes beyond normal pick up time.
Secondary students may be required to walk up to .4 mile and elementary students .25 mile to a bus stop. Bus stops for after-school activities can require some secondary students to walk up to 1 mile.
Walking to School
Walking to school is discouraged except in neighborhoods designated as walking zones.
Following are the schools with neighborhoods designated as walking zones:
- Bethel Manor Elementary School - part of attendance area
- Coventry Elementary School - part of Coventry subdivision
- Dare Elementary School - Grafton Station Apartments
- Mt. Vernon Elementary and Tabb Middle Schools - Kings Villa and Plantation Acres
- Grafton Middle and Grafton High Schools - Glen Laurel and Grafton Woods subdivisions
Students must have written permission from parents and the approval of the school to walk from neighborhoods in which transportation is provided. Walkers should not arrive at school more than 15 minutes before the beginning of the school day. Walkers must wait until buses have departed before leaving school grounds.
Any other information needed in reference to school division transportation should be directed to the Transportation Department.
Private Transportation
Students who are brought to school by private means of transportation should arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before the start of the school day. Teachers have assigned responsibilities prior to the beginning of classes. Responsibility for the supervision of students who arrive earlier will not be accepted by the school. All students who go home by means of private transportation must be picked up at the appropriate dismissal time. Private vehicles are not permitted in areas designated for the loading and unloading of school buses. Please observe signs that are posted at school entrance ways. Private vehicles on school board property can be searched if there is a cause to suspect violation of school board policy.
Fire Lanes
Fire Lanes are not parking zones. Fire Lanes in front of York County School Division schools provide rescue vehicles with unencumbered access to the schools in the event of an emergency. Fire Lanes are marked with yellow paint and/or "No Parking: Fire Lane" signs. Only driver-attended school buses are allowed to stop in Fire Lanes for student pick-up and drop-off. Unauthorized parking in a Fire Lane is a violation of the law as well as a safety hazard.